Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Secession: Comments and Gaming
In case you weren't aware, there's been a lot of talk about secession from every state in the United States this last week or so. Except it hasn't been the States, officially, just citizens of the states. I wanted to take a moment to comment on that and also look at the inspiration this can offer for GM's because, after all, everything in life is relatable to role-playing and vice versa.
Democracy in Fantasy
From past and recent posts, you may think this blog is rapidly becoming a socio-economic political blog. However, it is not. Gaming is still my passion so, instead of despairing or reveling in last nights results, let's look at them from another angle. Inspiration. Imagine what an election would look like if magic were involved.
To begin with, the things the candidates could promise the masses would be vastly more fantastic: eternal water wells, no blight for the crops, weapons and tools that never lose their edge, etc. etc. And what's more, they'd actually be able to deliver on it, unlike our current politicians who practically do offer such ridiculous things.
There are hooks galore one could take from this or the pre- and ongoing-elections. Let's look at a few:
-One candidate or another has been elected. Now he needs to deliver on those promises but his political opponents need a little "support" before they're willing to enact the laws that will send government wizards to all the towns for the crops.
-The newly elected Grand Citizen has enacted laws requiring all blacksmiths to install an enchanting circle in their forge so that the weapons and tools they make comply with the new law ... but the local guilds are resisting and they've got enough political clout to make a public move against them impossible. The PC's are brought in by one side or the other to enforce the law or defend the guild from rogue agents.
-The PC's wizard has been enlisted to visit towns and build the Well of Eternal water but certain supplies are needed and, like all efficient governments, only insufficiently close approximations have been provided. You'll have to do what you can with what you've got 'cause you're on a time schedule and you don't get paid if it's late. Whether it's done right or not, that's irrelevant to your pay scale.
-The election has yet to take place and one candidate or the other needs some more experienced, specialized protection to see them through the campaign.
--What if both feel they need protection and both contact the PC's? Are they really in danger from each other, something more sinister apart from them, or are they just paranoid. How do they react if the PC's take both jobs and try to keep their divided loyalties a secret?
-The PC's uncover information that the magically monitored and operated polls are being manipulated by a third party to some nefarious means. Do they get involved, is the nefarious goal truly nefarious or just politically selfish? What's involved and is their assistance viewed as such, or is it seen as illegal interference despite the need and benevolence with which it is performed.
-The PC's are tasked with guarding one of the wizards being sent to modify the wells and crops (or the PC's wizard is being sent). Wacky hijinks and/or dire consequences ensue when spells go awry, the influx of magic to the nations fields and water produces imbalances and unexpected side effects, etc. What about the results of people eating the MMO (Magically Modified Organisms) crops.
These are just a few of the possibilities. Do you have other ideas/suggestions? Drop them in the comments section for Mutually Assured Enjoyment or discussion!
To begin with, the things the candidates could promise the masses would be vastly more fantastic: eternal water wells, no blight for the crops, weapons and tools that never lose their edge, etc. etc. And what's more, they'd actually be able to deliver on it, unlike our current politicians who practically do offer such ridiculous things.
There are hooks galore one could take from this or the pre- and ongoing-elections. Let's look at a few:
-One candidate or another has been elected. Now he needs to deliver on those promises but his political opponents need a little "support" before they're willing to enact the laws that will send government wizards to all the towns for the crops.
-The newly elected Grand Citizen has enacted laws requiring all blacksmiths to install an enchanting circle in their forge so that the weapons and tools they make comply with the new law ... but the local guilds are resisting and they've got enough political clout to make a public move against them impossible. The PC's are brought in by one side or the other to enforce the law or defend the guild from rogue agents.
-The PC's wizard has been enlisted to visit towns and build the Well of Eternal water but certain supplies are needed and, like all efficient governments, only insufficiently close approximations have been provided. You'll have to do what you can with what you've got 'cause you're on a time schedule and you don't get paid if it's late. Whether it's done right or not, that's irrelevant to your pay scale.
-The election has yet to take place and one candidate or the other needs some more experienced, specialized protection to see them through the campaign.
--What if both feel they need protection and both contact the PC's? Are they really in danger from each other, something more sinister apart from them, or are they just paranoid. How do they react if the PC's take both jobs and try to keep their divided loyalties a secret?
-The PC's uncover information that the magically monitored and operated polls are being manipulated by a third party to some nefarious means. Do they get involved, is the nefarious goal truly nefarious or just politically selfish? What's involved and is their assistance viewed as such, or is it seen as illegal interference despite the need and benevolence with which it is performed.
-The PC's are tasked with guarding one of the wizards being sent to modify the wells and crops (or the PC's wizard is being sent). Wacky hijinks and/or dire consequences ensue when spells go awry, the influx of magic to the nations fields and water produces imbalances and unexpected side effects, etc. What about the results of people eating the MMO (Magically Modified Organisms) crops.
These are just a few of the possibilities. Do you have other ideas/suggestions? Drop them in the comments section for Mutually Assured Enjoyment or discussion!
Marx Was Right but got it Wrong
So I disagree with Socialism, Communism, Marxism, etc. etc. primarily because they all treat individuals as faceless members of an organic whole that they call society. Maybe I'll argue more on that point some other time but for now I just want you to know where I stand before I begin. I read a line just now that states that: "...Marx believed that power rested with those who controlled the means of production,..."1 and it is true that this is what he believed. However ...
55 Ridiculous Things
I came across this article the other day and felt that the title of it was appropriate. I haven't linked it yet because I wanted to talk about it a little before you dash off to read it. The title of the article is "55 Facts About The Debt And U.S. Government Finances That Every American Voter Should Know". It's long and sounds boring, but trust me, it's neither. If you don't care about U.S. government, politics or how your money is spent then it's worth reading for the cynical humor within. If you do care, then it's worth reading for the outrageous uses our money is being put to that you should know about. This is the kind of stuff that you can really get bi-partisan anger for.
Taxation: Fixed
So with all the talk of Romney's tax plan versus Obama's tax plan and blah blah blah in the media these days, I decided to do a little research of my own. In the process, I though, hey, I wonder how hard it really is to develop a tax plan. Turns out, if you don't complicate it, it's not that hard. Admittedly, I don't have 100% hard evidence for these numbers, but for the purposes of this exercise, they are reasonably reliable.
Political Assumptions
It seems in any given election that everyone who is going to vote already knows who they are going to vote for. Furthermore, no amount of arguing or writing seems capable of changing the minds of anyone in any portion of the spectrum. There is a LOT of writing that goes on regarding politics, government and candidates but those who pay attention to such things do so only in two formats: Either in Familiar Consumption or in Filtered Consumption.
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